Nintendo Patents Handheld with Swappable Buttons

Intriguing design houses slots for swapping buttons and control configurations.

Nintendo has filed a patent for a portable device with interchangeable button configurations.

The patent (via NeoGAF) was filed in October of last year. It describes a game system similar in appearance to the 3DS, though it doesn't appear as a clamshell design in the illustrations. The figures show four slots, each of which supports the ability to slide buttons or other control configurations inside. Examples shown include swapping a directional pad for an analog stick, or switching a four-button face for a three-button face.

Loading

Though it's an intriguing concept, it's worth remembering that companies often file patents that never come to market. Either for the sake of test prototypes or simply securing an idea in case they ever want to use it, plenty of patents from all three major console manufacturers are currently sitting on the shelves unused. This patent certainly doesn't mean we're necessarily getting a sneak peek at the next piece of Nintendo hardware, but it's a bit of insight on the company's ideas.

Steve Watts is a freelance writer with an unhealthy attachment to his 3DS. You can read more of his keen insights by following him on Twitter and IGN.